The present invention relates to a ski binding block now U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,126 for elevating ski bindings on a snow ski in order to provide improved turning leverage, and, more particularly, to a ski binding system for dampening excessive vibration transmitted through the ski to the skier without decreasing the intended, natural flexibility of the ski.
It is well known in the sport of alpine snow skiing that turns and other maneuvers on the skis are accomplished by shifting the skier's weight to one side or the other. This shifting concentrates the weight of the skier on one edge of the ski while decreasing the force on the opposite edge, thereby causing the ski to turn. In a typical ski run, the weight is shifted back and forth, thus causing the skier to follow a somewhat zig-zag course down the ski slope. The greater the weight or force on the turning edge of the ski, the sharper the angle the skier can turn.
It has also been well known for some time that the force that a skier can apply to the turning edge of the ski can be increased by the use of binding blocks. A binding block is mounted on the top surface of the ski and below the ski bindings in order to elevate the skier on the ski. This elevation causes increased leverage for the skier as the weight is shifted back and forth. Thus, the binding block, in combination with the ski binding, ski boot, and the legs of the skier, act as a moment arm to increase the amount of force on the turning edge of the ski as the weight is shifted to that side during turning. Such improved turning leverage is particularly desirable among high performance skiers who are required to make very sharp turns during competitive ski races such as the downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super giant slalom and "extreme."
However, binding blocks of the prior art have not found particular favor among high performance skiers because they suffer from a number of disadvantages. In particular, such previous binding blocks comprise one piece plate designs which are relatively long. The plate is positioned on the center of the ski and both the toe and heel pieces of the binding are mounted on it. The plate, however, creates a negative flex pattern in the performance of the ski when attached to the ski in this manner. That is, snow skis are designed and constructed so as to exhibit certain advantageous structural characteristics while in use. Such characteristics include flexibility in both a longitudinal and axial directions. Thus, in use, a skier will feel the ski bond and flex from tip to tail, forming a U-shaped arc along the longitudinal length of the ski. The spring-like construction of the ski causes it to "counter-flex" in the opposite direction, returning the ski to its normal, horizontal orientation.
In addition, the skier will feel the ski flex torsionally in a twisting motion about the longitudinal axis of the ski. Previous binding plates, because of their metallic construction and the manner in which they are mounted to the skis, substantially diminish these ski flexibility characteristics. That is, the plate essentially thickens the cross section of the ski/plate in the area where the plate is mounted, thus resisting the bending of the ski. Therefore, the plates of the prior art create a "dead spot" in the ski in the area under the plate which is relatively rigid and non-flexible. As a result, the skier is unable to experience the "feel" of the skis as he or she normally would as the ski is carving an edge during a turning maneuver.
In addition, such previous plate designs are relatively heavy; an additional disadvantage to the skier. On the other hand, previous binding blocks usually provide the advantage of dampening the vibration or "chattering" that skiers often experience, particularly on icy surfaces. However, as explained above, binding blocks of previous design have the substantial disadvantage of over-dampening such vibration, to the extent that the flexibility and "feel" of the ski is diminished or eliminated altogether. For example, some expert skiers who have utilized previous binding blocks have reported that visual observation was necessary in order to determine if they were "on edge" while making a turn because the binding plate prevented them from feeling the orientation of the ski.
Thus, there is a need for a binding system which provides increased turning leverage and vibration dampening, without decreasing or eliminating ski flexibility.